Lahore, January 26, 2018 (PPI-OT):Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) Chairman Irfan Iqbal Sheikh has rejected the politics of protests, calling upon the government as well as political parties to adopt a reconciliatory approach, settling political disputes through dialogues, as stability is vital for high economic growth.

Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, in a joint statement along with senior vice chairman Tanveer Ahmed Sufi and vice chairman Shahzeb Akram, said that politics of agitation will push the economy to the wall. So, all political parties should show maturity and try to resolve the issues through talks.

Irfan Sheikh made it clear that businessmen were committed to the constitution and democracy, and they would not support any undemocratic action against the government. PIAF chairman said that Pakistan was in dire need of political stability as well as strong institutions, and to achieve this, both politicians and business leaders would have to join hands.

He said that the present government has put the country’s economy on the right track, as economic indicators are showing significant improvement. The political noise and uncertainty will reverse the economic growth achieved so far, he warned. He said compared to 2013, Pakistan’s economy today was much stable. Due to solid economic policies of the government, the confidence of local and foreign investors has been restored, he noted. Let Pakistan’s economy move towards improvement and let speedy completion of public welfare projects be ensured, he beseeched.

He said that all political forces should, without any further delay, initiate consultations with the economic leadership, including the PIAF, to chalk out an elaborate plan of action, aimed at reducing dependence on external assistance and achieving the long-cherished economic goals.

Chairman PIAF said that after relative stability for four years, Pakistan has seen an unprecedented rise in political noise since the ouster of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said that businessmen are the most concerned people in the country because we have high stakes in terms of investments. The growing political instability was dangerous for the economy as well as for the country.

Investors, whether local or international, looked for long-term political and economic stability in the country. In case of uncertainty, investors would stop making new investments that would eventually hurt the country’s interests in the long run, he added. He said that the country achieved 5.3% GDP growth which is highest in last decade.